Explaining (the Verse), "O ye that believe, do not put (yourselves) forward in the presence of God and His Apostle." Since thou art not the Prophet, be one of the religious community; since thou art not the sovereign, be a subject.

پس برو خاموش باش از انقیاد ** زیر ظل امر شیخ و اوستاد

Follow (do not lead): be silent in submission beneath the shade of the command of the Shaykh and Master;

ورنه گر چه مستعد و قابلی ** مسخ گردی تو ز لاف کاملی

Otherwise, though thou art predisposed and capable, thou wilt become deformed through boasting of (thy) perfection.

هم ز استعداد وا مانی اگر ** سر کشی ز استاد راز و با خبر3350

Thou wilt be deprived even of (thy good) predisposition, if thou rebel against the Master of the mystery who is endowed with knowledge.

صبر کن در موزه دوزی تو هنوز ** ور بوی بی‌صبر گردی پاره‌دوز

Do thou still have patience in cobbling; for if thou be impatient, thou wilt become a rag-stitcher.

کهنه‌دوزان گر بدیشان صبر و حلم ** جمله نودوزان شدندی هم به علم

If the stitchers of old clothes had patience and forbearance, all of them too would become stitchers of new garments through (acquisition of) knowledge.

بس بکوشی و بخر از کلال ** هم تو گویی خویش کالعقل عقال

Thou strivest much, and at last even thou thyself sayest in weariness that the intellect is a fetter,

هم‌چو آن مرد مفلسف روز مرگ ** عقل را می‌دید بس بی‌بال و برگ

Like the philosopher (who) on the day of his death perceived his intellect to be very poor and feeble,

بی‌غرض می‌کرد آن دم اعتراف ** کز ذکاوت راندیم اسپ از گزاف3355

And in that hour disinterestedly confessed (the truth), saying, “(Impelled) by acuteness of mind we galloped in vain.

از غروری سر کشیدیم از رجال ** آشنا کردیم در بحر خیال

In delusion we drew (scornfully) away from the holy men, we swam in the sea of phantasy.”

آشنا هیچست اندر بحر روح ** نیست اینجا چاره جز کشتی نوح

In the spiritual Sea swimming is naught (of no avail): here is no resource but the ship (ark) of Noah.

این چنین فرمود این شاه رسل ** که منم کشتی درین دریای کل

Thus said that king of the prophets, “I am the ship in this universal Sea,

یا کسی کو در بصیرتهای من ** شد خلیفه‌ی راستی بر جای من

Or that person who, in respect of my (inward) clairvoyances, has become a true vicegerent in my stead.”

کشتی نوحیم در دریا که تا ** رو نگردانی ز کشتی ای فتی3360

We (saints) are the ship (ark) of Noah in the Sea, in order that thou mayst not turn thy face away from the ship, O youth.

هم‌چو کنعان سوی هر کوهی مرو ** از نبی لا عاصم الیوم شنو

Go not, like Canaan, to every mountain: hear from the Qur’án (the warning), “There is naught that will protect (thee) to-day.”

می‌نماید پست این کشتی ز بند ** می‌نماید کوه فکرت بس بلند

This ship, because of the bandage (on thy vision), seems to thee low, (while) the mountain of (intellectual) thought seems very high.

پست منگر هان و هان این پست را ** بنگر آن فضل حق پیوست را

Beware, beware! Do not regard this “low” with contempt: regard the grace of God that is attached (to it).

در علو کوه فکرت کم نگر ** که یکی موجش کند زیر و زبر

Do not regard the height of the mountain of thought, for a single wave turns it upside down.

گر تو کنعانی نداری باورم ** گر دو صد چندین نصیحت پرورم3365

If thou art (like) Canaan, thou wilt not believe me though I foster (for thy sake) two hundred times as many counsels.

گوش کنعان کی پذیرد این کلام ** که برو مهر خدایست و ختام

How should Canaan's ear accept these words? for God's seal and signet is upon it.

کی گذارد موعظه بر مهر حق ** کی بگرداند حدث حکم سبق

How should admonition pass through God's seal? How should the new (admonition) avert the (eternal) pre-ordainment?